Monday, October 27, 2014

Well, this week was awesome! To say the least. I wish that I could have more weeks like this one. It started off as a pretty slow week, we had a few appointments that were good, and it just seemed slow. The weather was grey and cloudy and the likes, but we kept busy. Then for some reason, all of our appointments from Thursday on canceled. So we had absolutely no appointments Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Lots of tracting and working with less active members, and service projects were undertaken to fill up our time. It was fun and we felt really productive.

On Saturday, we did a little bit of a photo shoot which led to other things, but one of them was making a dummy that was life size. His name is Fred. We had a really fun time taking him and putting him in the boot (trunk) of the car, and then asking one of the members if he knew how to hide a dead body. He thought we were joking until he saw the 'body' in the car. He jerked back and muttered a few things and it took him a little bit to realize that it was just a dummy. His face was priceless, and I wish that I had taken pictures of that, but I didn't. I did however take pictures with Elder Heaton, Fred and I. Fun times that I'm going to remember for the rest of my mission.

And then on Sunday, we had the opportunity to hear from Bishop Stevenson and his wife. It was awesome and informative about the church and working together. There were a lot of things that I learned that I'm going to put into play in my daily life here as a missionary. So cool, and so much to learn. I'm kinda mad that we didn't get to go to Cape Town for the missionary meeting. They only let the missionaries that lived within a two hour driving radius go to the meeting. But I heard that it was good, and I wasn't there for it. Bummer. Maybe next time.

As far as sending stuff goes, the post office is on strike here in SA, so it takes a while for things to get here. Packages still get here, and it takes anywhere between two to four weeks for things to get here. I can't think of things right off of the top of my head, but I'll let you know when and if I think of anything.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Well, here we are for another week in the life of a missionary in South Africa. This week has been awesome, I've really enjoyed working and being in the field with our investigators. We have had some really good lessons, and have a few of our investigators really solidly progressing towards baptism. Our first date is on the 9th of November, so it is coming up quite quickly. I'm super excited and he is ready for it! We kept busy and it was really nice from the down turn last week.

In other news, This weekend is going to be AWESOME!!! We found out that it is Elder Cook that is coming to speak to the missionaries. And then on Sunday, we get to hear from Bishop Stephenson. It is going to be a good week. I'm looking forward to it! Part of me wishes that the area that I am in is a little bit more productive, but it is a really slow area. We work and work and try to get things done. I recently found out that there were missionaries before me that they would only have two or three lessons per week here. So when we are having almost 20 lessons a week, we are doing good and enjoying it.

I have to clarify for Trent about the burning tie thing goes something like this. When you reach your six month click day (missionary birthday) you burn a tie, when you reach your year click day, you burn a white shirt, when you reach your 18 month click day, you burn a pair of pants, and just before you go home, normally when you are at the mission home just before you come home, you burn a suit.

Mission traditions are the best, so we will have to see where that one takes me with the use of fire:).
Also, if anybody has sent me letters, I haven't gotten them because there is a mail strike here in SA. No mail is getting through, and it is in such a backed up state, even though they are trying to do their best with the mail that they have, and it is backing up, like nobodys business.

Monday, October 13, 2014

Well, this has been an amazing yet slow week. We helped one of our investigators move into the other missionaries area and lost them. I'm super bummed about that. I loved teaching them. We got to watch general conference this week, and re watch it when we had time, so it was really cool. I can't wait to get the Liahona with all of the talks written out. It was such an amazing experience to get to see it and to hear it. I love the gospel and it is so amazing how it has blessed me so far. I only wish that I could do more but I can only do the little bit that I can.

This week we did a lot of service because here in SA it was spring break for everybody, so everyone was not at home, and we had not a lot of teaching appointments. I wish that we had more and we were more busy, but we did what we could, and we kept busy with service projects.

Also this week, on Friday was Zone Training and Interviews. It was such an awesome time. I always love getting to learn from President and his insight. It has been evident in the mission that Satan is working a lot harder than he has been in the past as the mission becomes more obedient. I can notice the difference in obedience from the beginning of my mission to now. President has implemented a few things and it is helping the mission in so many ways. I love it and I love seeing the people benefit from it.

Church was amazing! It was fast and testimony meeting and we were getting a new relief society president, and the spirit was there and it was so strong. I loved it and I grew so much from that one sacrament meeting.

I also forgot to mention that I hit my six month mark which meant that there was a tie to be burnt. :) I'll get the video up when I get time, but here are some pictures of it

Monday, October 6, 2014

AHH!! I can't believe that it's October already! Time has flown way super fast!!! Six months is like nothing!! And to top things off, this week has flown by so quickly
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Conference was my highlight for this week! It was so awesome. I love hearing from the prophets and learning at their feet. They are so knowledgeable, and wise. It is kinda hard to watch here because all of the sessions are out of order, and I still haven't seen the Sunday PM session yet (we will see it later tonight), but it is still an amazing time! I love the gospel and I love the chance that I have to continually learn more and more. I can't wait to get the printed version and reread it again and again. Our bishop commented that he didn't think that it was a coincidence that conference was held on fast weekends. It was different to fast and to watch conference in that spirit.

In other news, transfers came and went. Nothing much happened in our zone. One missionary went home, one went to the office, and we got one other missionary to come into our zone. Zone training and interviews are this week, so it will be interesting, as usual. They are always awesome!

I also have to say that I'm doing the 90 day Book of Mormon Challenge, on top of all of my other studying, and I'm currently half way done with it, and it has been an eye opener. I've learned so much this time reading it through, and it is interesting to be reading from two different places in the Book of Mormon and to see all the parallel lines between the two places.

Also, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to hear from Elder Bednar, he is coming to talk to the missionaries in SACTM, and from Bishop Stephenson for a special fireside. I love it.

As another note, Mom, you could write about having two missionaries in Africa and you might get the opportunity to have them talk about the family in General Conference. That was such a cool talk (BTW).